Published online Nov 10, 2018. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v9.i7.133
Peer-review started: July 6, 2018
First decision: August 6, 2018
Revised: August 18, 2018
Accepted: October 24, 2018
Article in press: October 24, 2018
Published online: November 10, 2018
Several histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular markers have been analyzed in rectal carcinoma in an attempt to predict the pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) with contradictory results.
Identifying characteristics of tumors that will respond to nCRT could help avoid surgery.
To determine whether the association of rectal adenocarcinoma with a defective-Mismatch repair system (dMMR) are associated with the rate of pCR. To identify histologic features in the diagnostic biopsy associated with the rate of pCR.
A case-control study design paired 2:1 was performed.
The pCR was associated with well-differentiated tumors, dMMR, the absence of vascular invasion, and low tumor budding in the diagnostic biopsy. In the multivariant analysis, the factors independently associated with the pCR were dMMR and a low degree of tumor budding.
Tumors with pCR were associated with the dMMR status and low tumor budding in the diagnostic biopsy.
Adding the status of both MMR and tumor budding to the current and future prognostic indexes could help predict the pCR of a rectal adenocarcinoma and evaluate alternative strategies for the care of these patients.